POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Leon Washington, who is out for the season after breaking his right leg in a game against the Raiders, said he doesn't regret the decision to turn down the Jets' contract offer worth $5 million per season.Neil Miller

One minute Leon Washington was closer to forcing the Jets to give him the $6 million a year he wanted. And then his right leg got twisted under the Raiders’ Tommy Kelly on a first-down play even simpler than, seemingly, what to do when someone puts $5 million on a table.

“One thing with business I learned, it’s risk and reward,” Washington said yesterday of his training-camp decision to turn down the Jets’ proposed contract extension that reportedly averaged $5 million per season and guaranteed him $10 million, though the new money wouldn’t kick in until next season. “I knew coming into the season that was a risk.

“That said, things happen for a reason,” he added. “With my faith in God, my family life is more important than money. Obviously, the security is what you want for your kids and grandkids, but if I could do it again, I would do the same thing.”

Nevertheless, the Jets can’t commit $5 million in cap room in 2009 to a player coming off a gruesome injury. Washington’s rookie contract, paying $535,000 this season, is in its final year, unless a failure to reach a new collective bargaining agreement enables them to retain his rights with a qualifying offer.

“We’ll know more in March than we know now,” general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. “Of 80 players in our offseason (conditioning) program he was No. 1.

“These are the type of players [coach] Rex [Ryan] and I would like to reward at the appropriate time. We’ll try coming up with a solution good for him and us.”

The Jets could make up some difference with incentive bonuses. Meanwhile, as much crying as is going on in Florham Park these days, any more by Washington serves no purpose for the best all-purpose back in franchise history.

The coach would have called a player special teams coach Mike Westhoff called “a friend” infectious, but that’s not a word you use three weeks after your fibula snaps.

“Infection is the main setback with the type of injury [fractured fibula and tibia] I have,” Washington said. “Most guys, they have to go back and take the rod out. Thank God, I’m 98-99 percent passed that point.

“Time of full recovery is 6-12 months. I want to be on the six-month side. The positive thing is I had no ankle and knee damage. Basically, it’s just letting that bone heel up.”

Basically the Jets, who have lost consecutive games, can’t heal without Washington — not even close.

“You have guys who are great receivers, who can run, who can block, but it’s hard to find guys who can do all of it,” Ryan said.

That includes Washington’s ability to light up a room. But keeping a smile on you face while there is a crutch under your arm doesn’t guarantee Washington ever again will record 2,337 all-purpose yards in a season.

Then again, he says he has learned that connecting with Mark Sanchez isn’t as important as connecting with the more valuable things in life.

“Things happen in life, whether injury or losing a job or God forbid somebody in your family passes away,” Washington said. “This is the first time for me with something that’s prohibiting me from doing everyday things.

“Took my first shower Monday in three weeks,” he said. “Thirty minutes with the water running over me. I’m telling you, it’s the little things in life.

“This gets me back in touch with my faith in God. The main benefit is spending time with my boys at home. If football was something we didn’t get paid for, I would still play.

“Mike said we’ll revisit after the season.”

Agent Alvin Keels failed to get the value he placed on Washington’s services, but his attitude, however, remains priceless.